Hornstra (Borne, 1975) focuses on long-term documentary and socially engaged projects as a portrait photographer, seeking iconic images that can serve as symbols of the moment or place in which the photograph was taken. In the last 20 years, he has created a human portrait of our time by photographing people in their everyday situations, with a focus on Russia and Europe. His primary interest is capturing scenes from day-to-day life, such as the image of a butcher working behind his counter, an office worker sitting at a desk, or children at play.

In collaboration with Fotomuseum Den Haag, the Jakopič Gallery is hosting the first international presentation of Hornstra’s retrospective exhibition Ordinary People. This exhibition is part of our programme dedicated to preserving memories and cultural heritage, which simultaneously helps to provide a broader social understanding of photography as one of the most expressive, communicative, and creative visual media.

Ordinary People features predefined categories that Hornstra himself, inspired by the work of German photographer August Sander, uses to classify his photographs, and which form the foundation of his series, such as work, youth, folk customs ... Still, his system is not strict, with portraits being found in more than one category at once. They are accordingly not established as rigid typologies, and instead reflect the multifaceted nature of human experience. The described approach acts as a guide for the author in his work and allows him to portray people with diverse backgrounds, and yet, precisely because of it, he (un)consciously creates connections among people that transcend national borders.

Alongside over 70 group and individual portraits, Jakopič Gallery is premiering a selection of his works created in Slovenia from the series Europeans (2020-2030), which he is developing in partnership with the writer Arnold van Bruggen. Together, they have embarked on a decade-long quest to capture the modern European at a time when Europe is grappling with a crises. Taken in the regions of Carinthia and Styria before the recent parliamentary elections, the portraits not only tell stories about the people in the photographs but also highlight their social roles. The photographer’s goal is to capture subjects in such a way that they will remain with us in the future - not as individuals, but as bearers of the meanings they represent.

Hornstra’s works challenge contemporary notions of Europe and encourage one to reflect on its identities, borders, and shared values. The photographer’s vision transforms the individual into the collective, elevates the ordinary to the extraordinary, while inviting visitors to view themselves and others via the lenses of empathy, curiosity, and creativity.

The exhibition Ordinary People is accompanied by a comprehensive photo monograph with the same name, published in English and Dutch by Lannoo in conjunction with the exhibition in the Netherlands, as well as a special Slovenian-English publication published by MGML Kjer ogenj tli / Where the Fire Slumbers, dedicated to portraits from Slovenia from the Europeans series. Both are available in  our gallery shop and in the MGML online store.

You are warmly invited to the opening of the Rob Hornstra: Ordinary People exhibition, that will be introduced by a conversation with the photographer Rob Hornstra at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, 27 May 2026 in the Jakopič Gallery. The exhibition will be inaugurated at 7 p.m. by H. E. Janneke Vrijland, Dutch ambassador to Slovenia.